Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Multifunctionality of floodplain landscapes: relating management options to ecosystem services

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Landscape Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The concept of green infrastructure has been recently taken up by the European Commission for ensuring the provision of ecosystem services (ESS). It aims at the supply of multiple ESS in a given landscape, however, the effects of a full suite of management options on multiple ESS and landscape multifunctionality have rarely been assessed. In this paper we use European floodplain landscapes as example to develop an expert based qualitative conceptual model for the assessment of impacts of landscape scale interventions on multifunctionality. European floodplain landscapes are particularly useful for such approach as they originally provided a high variety and quantity of ESS that has declined due to the strong human impact these landscapes have experienced. We provide an overview of the effects of floodplain management options on landscape multifunctionality by assessing the effects of 38 floodplain management interventions on 21 relevant ESS, as well as on overall ESS supply. We found that restoration and rehabilitation consistently increased the multifunctionality of the landscape by enhancing supply of provisioning, regulation/maintenance, and cultural services. In contrast, conventional technical regulation measures and interventions related to extraction, infrastructure and intensive land use cause decrease in multifunctionality and negative effects for the supply of all three aspects of ESS. The overview of the effects of interventions shall provide guidance for decision makers at multiple governance levels. The presented conceptual model could be effectively applied for other landscapes that have potential for a supply of a high diversity of ESS.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angelstam P, Axelsson R, Elbakidze M, Laestadius L, Lazdinis M, Nordberg M, Pătru-Stupariu I, Smith M (2011) Knowledge production and learning for sustainable forest management on the ground: Pan-European landscapes as a time machine. Forestry 84:581–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Antrop M, Brandt J, Loupa-Ramos I, Padoa-Schioppa E, Porter J, Van Eetvelde V, Pinto-Correia T (2013) How landscape ecology can promote the development of sustainable landscapes in Europe: the role of the European Association for Landscape Ecology (IALE-Europe) in the twenty-first century. Landscape Ecol 28:1641–1647

    Google Scholar 

  • Balian E, Berhault A, Jones-Walters L, Torre‐Marin A, Neßhöver C, Vandewalle M (2012) Overview of experts and requesters of a potential NoK: mapping knowledge holders, identifying requesters and barriers on how to link them. Deliverable 1.1 of the EU-FP7-project KNEU. http://www.biodiversityknowledge.eu/images/Documents/Deliverables/KNEU-D1-1_clientsandholdersoverviewandbarriers_Final.pdf

  • Balvanera P, Daily GC, Ehrlich PR, Ricketts TH, Bailey SA, Kark S, Kremen C, Pereira H (2001) Conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. Science 291:2047

    Google Scholar 

  • Benedict MA, MacMahon ET (2002) Green infrastructure: smart conservation for the 21st century. Renew Res J 20:12–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernhardt ES, Palmer MA, Allan JD, Alexander G, Barnas K, Brooks S, Carr J, Clayton S, Dahm C, Follastad-Shah J, Galat D, Gloss S, Goodwin P, Hart D, Hassett B, Jenkinson R, Katz S, Kondolf GM, Lake PS, Lave R, Meyer JL, O’Donnell TK, Pagano L, Powell B, Sudduth E (2005) Synthesizing U.S. river restoration efforts. Science 308:636–637

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernhardt ES, Sudduth EB, Palmer MA, Allan JD, Meyer JL, Alexander G, Follastad-Shah J, Hassett B, Jenkinson R, Lave R, Rumps J, Pagano L (2007) Restoring rivers one reach at a time: results from a survey of US river restoration practitioners. Restor Ecol 15:482–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhard B, Kroll F, Müller F, Windhorst W (2009) Landscapes’ capacities to provide ecosystem services—a concept for land-cover based assessments. Landscape Online 15:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhard B, Kroll F, Nedkov S, Müller F (2012) Mapping supply, demand and budgets of ecosystem services. Ecol Indic 21:17–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butchart SHM, Walpole M, Collen B, van Strien A, Scharlemann JPW, Almond REA, Baillie JEM, Bomhard B, Brown C, Bruno J, Carpenter KE, Carr GM, Chanson J, Chenery AM, Csirke J, Davidson NC, Dentener F, Foster M, Galli A, Galloway JN, Genovesi P, Gregory RD, Hockings M, Kapos V, Lamarque J-F, Leverington F, Loh J, McGeoch MA, McRae L, Minasyan A, Hernández Morcillo M, Oldfield TEE, Pauly D, Quader S, Revenga C, Sauer JR, Skolnik B, Spear D, Stanwell-Smith D, Stuart SN, Symes A, Tierney M, Tyrrell TD, Vié J-C, Watson R (2010) Global biodiversity: indicators of recent declines. Science 328:1164–1168

  • Capon SJ, Chambers LE, Mac Nally R, Naiman RJ, Davies P, Marshall N, Pittock J, Reid M, Capon T, Douglas M, Catford J, Baldwin DS, Stewardson M, Roberts J, Parsons M, Williams SE (2013) Riparian ecosystems in the 21st century: hotspots for climate change adaptation? Ecosystems 16:359–381

  • Cardinale BJ, Duffy JE, Gonzalez A, Hooper DU, Perrings C, Venail P, Narwani A, Mace GM, Tilman D, Wardle DA, Kinzig AP, Daily GC, Loreau M, Grace JB, Larigauderie A, Srivastava D, Naeem S (2012) Biodiversity loss and its impact on humanity. Nature 486:59–67

    Google Scholar 

  • COM (2007) Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks. Off. J. Eur. Union 2007, L288/27–L288/34

  • COM (2009) Adapting to climate change: towards a European framework for action. European Commission, Brussels. COM 147, 2009. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2009:0147:FIN:EN:PDF

  • COM (2011a) Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020, Brussels. COM 244, 2011. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/comm2006/pdf/2020/1_EN_ACT_part1_v7%5B1%5D.pdf

  • COM (2011b) Regional policy contributing to sustainable growth in Europe 2020. European Commission, Brussels. COM 17, 2011. http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/official/communic/sustainable/comm2011_17_en.pdf

  • Crossman ND, Burkhard B, Nedkov S, Willemen L, Petz K, Palomo I, Drakou EG, Martín-Lopez B, McPhearson T, Boyanova K, Alkemade R, Egoh B, Dunbar MB, Maes J (2013) A blueprint for mapping and modelling ecosystem services. Ecosyst Serv 4:4–14

    Google Scholar 

  • De Groot RS, Alkemade R, Braat L, Hein L, Willemen L (2010) Challenges in integrating the concept of ecosystem services and values in landscape planning, management and decision making. Ecol Complex 7:260–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delpla I, Jung A-V, Baures E, Clement M, Thomas O (2009) Impacts of climate change on surface water quality in relation to drinking water production. Environ Int 35:1225–1233

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dosskey M, Wells G, Bentrup G, Wallace D (2012) Enhancing ecosystem services: designing for multifunctionality. J Soil Water Conserv 67(2):37A–41A

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagerholm N, Käyhkö N, Ndumbaro F, Khamis M (2012) Community stakeholders’ knowledge in landscape assessments—mapping indicators for landscape services. Ecol Indic 18:421–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geilen N, Jochems H, Krebs L, Muller S, Pedroli B, van der Sluis T, van Looy K, van Rooij S (2004) Integration of ecological aspects in flood protection strategies: defining and ecological minimum. River Res Appl 20:269–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Geist J (2011) Integrative freshwater ecology and biodiversity conservation. Ecol Indic 11:1507–1516

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haines-Young R, Potschin M (2013) Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES): Consultation on Version 4, August–December 2012. EEA Framework Contract No EEA/IEA/09/003

  • Haines-Young R, Potschin M, Kienast F (2012) Indicators of ecosystem service potential at European scales: mapping marginal changes and trade-offs. Ecol Indic 21:39–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heintz MD, Hagemeier-Klose M, Wagner K (2012) Towards a risk governance culture in flood policy—findings from the implementation of the “Floods Directive” in Germany. Water 4(1):135–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hermann A, Kuttner M, Hainz-Renetzeder C, Konkoly-Gyuró É, Tirászi Á, Brandenburg C, Allex B, Ziener K, Wrbka T (2014) Assessment framework for landscape services in European cultural landscapes: an Austrian Hungarian case study. Ecol Indic 37(A):229–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann CC, Kronvang B, Audet J (2011) Evaluation of nutrient retention in four restored Danish riparian wetlands. Hydrobiologia 674:5–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins WA, Murray BC, Kramer RA, Faulkner SP (2010) Valuing ecosystem services from wetlands restoration in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Ecol Econ 69:1051–1061

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jongman RHG, Külvik M, Kristiansen I (2004) European ecological networks and greenways. Landscape Urban Plan 68:305–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jongman RHG, Bouwma IR, Griffioen A, Jones-Walters L, Van Doorn AM (2011) The Pan European ecological network: PEEN. Landscape Ecol 26:311–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kandziora M, Burkhard B, Müller F (2013) Interactions of ecosystem properties, ecosystem integrity and ecosystem service indicators—a theoretical matrix exercise. Ecol Indic 28:54–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kettunen M, Ten Brink P (2012) Nature, green economy and sustainable development: the outcomes of UN Rio + 20 Conference on Sustainable Development. Nat Conserv 2:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koschke L, Fürst C, Frank S, Makeschin F (2012) A multi-criteria approach for an integrated land-cover-based assessment of ecosystem services provision to support landscape planning. Ecol Indic 21:54–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenz AW, Korte T, Sundermann A, Januschke K, Haase P (2012) Macrophytes respond to reach-scale river restorations. J Appl Ecol 49:202–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovell ST, Johnston DM (2009) Designing landscapes for performance based on emerging principles in landscape ecology. Ecol Soc 14(1):44

    Google Scholar 

  • Mace GM, Norris K, Fitter AH (2012) Biodiversity and ecosystem services: a multilayered relationship. Trends Ecol Evol 27:19–26

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maes J, Egoh B, Willemen L, Liquete C, Vihervaara P, Schägner JP, Grizzetti B, Drakou EG, La Notte A, Zulian G, Bouraoui F, Paracchini ML, Braat L, Bidoglio G (2012) Mapping ecosystem services for policy support and decision making in the European Union. Ecosyst Serv 1:31–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Maes J, Hauck J, Paracchini ML, Ratamäki O, Hutchins M, Termansen M, Furman E, Pérez-Soba M, Braat L, Bidoglio G (2013) Mainstreaming ecosystem services into EU policy. Environ Sustain 5:128–134

    Google Scholar 

  • MEA (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being: multiscale assessment, millennium Ecosystem assessment series 4. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Merz C, Winkler A, Pekdeger A (2009) Trace elements in streambed sediments of floodplains: consequences for water management measures. Environ Earth Sci 59:25–38

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moss T, Monstadt J (2008) Restoring floodplains in Europe—policy contexts and project experiences. IWA Publishing, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller M, Pander J, Geist J (2014) The ecological value of stream restoration measures: an evaluation on ecosystem and target species scales. Ecol Eng 62:129–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson E, Mendoza G, Regetz J, Polasky S, Tallis H, Cameron DR, Chan KMA, Daily GC, Goldstein J, Kareiva PM, Lonsdorf E, Naidoo R, Ricketts TH, Shaw RM (2009) Modeling multiple ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, commodity production, and tradeoffs at landscape scales. Front Ecol Environ 7(1):4–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Nijland H, Menke U (2005) In: Proceedings of the conference ‘Flood risk management and multifunctional land use in river catchments’. Mainz, October 2005. Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Netherlands

  • Pahl-Wostl C (2006) The importance of social learning in restoring the multifunctionality of rivers and floodplains. Ecol Soc 11(1):10

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer MA, Filoso S (2009) Restoration of ecosystem services for environmental markets. Science 325:575–576

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palomo I, Martín-López B, Potschin M, Haines-Young R, Montes C (2013) National Parks, buffer zones and surrounding lands: mapping ecosystem service flows. Ecosyst Serv 4:104–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pander J, Geist J (2013) Ecological indicators for measuring stream restoration success. Ecol Indic 30:106–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pettifer E, Kay P (2012) The effects of flood defences on riparian vegetation species richness and abundance. Water Environ J 26:343–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rey Benayas JM, Newton AC, Diaz A, Bullock JM (2009) Enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem services by ecological restoration: a meta-analysis. Science 325:1121–1124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richter BD, Thomas GA (2007) Restoring flows by modifying dam operations. Ecol Soc 12(1):12

    Google Scholar 

  • Schindler S, Kropik M, Euller K, Bunting SW, Schulz-Zunkel C, Hermann A, Hainz-Renetzeder C, Kanka R, Mauerhofer V, Gasso V, Krug A, Laawars SG, Zulka KP, Henle K, Hoffmann M, Biró M, Essl F, Jaquier S, Balázs L, Borics G, Hudin S, Damm C, Pusch M, van der Sluis T, Sebesvari Z, Wrbka T (2013a) Floodplain management in temperate regions: is multifunctionality enhancing biodiversity? A systematic review protocol. Environ Evid 2:10

  • Schindler S, Livoreil B, Sousa Pinto I, Araújo R, Zulka KP, Santamaría L, Euller K, Kropik M, Wrbka T (2013b) Final knowledge assessment reports of the 3 case studies and lessons learned. Deliverable 3.1 of the EU-FP7-project KNEU. http://www.biodiversityknowledge.eu/documents?layout=edit&id=88. Accessed Dec 2013

  • Scholz M, Stab S, Dziok F, Henle K (2005) Lebensräume der Elbe und ihrer Auen (Band 4 in Konzepte für die nachhaltige Entwicklung einer Flusslandschaft). Weißensee-Verlag, Berlin

  • Scholz M, Mehl D, Schulz-Zunkel C, Kasperdius HD, Born W, Henle K (2012) Ökosystemfunktionen von Flussauen. Analyse und Bewertung von Hochwasserretention, Nährstoffrückhalt, Kohlenstoffvorrat, Treibhausgasemissionen und Habitatfunktion. Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt 124:2

  • Sedell JR, Richey JE, Swanson FJ (1989) The river continuum concept: a basis for the expected ecosystem behavior of very large rivers. In: Dodge DE (ed) Proceedings of the International Large River Symposium. Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 106:49–55

  • Seppelt R, Müller F, Schröder B, Volk M (2009) Challenges of simulating complex environmental systems at the landscape scale: a controversial dialogue between two cups of espresso. Ecol Model 220:3481–3489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seppelt R, Fath B, Burkhard B, Fisher JL, Grêt-Regamey A, Lautenbach S, Pert P, Hotes S, Spangenberg J, Verburg PH, van Oudenhovenm APE (2012) Form follows function? Proposing a blueprint for ecosystem service assessments based on reviews and case studies. Ecol Indic 21:145–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Solín Ľ, Feranec J, Nováček J (2011) Land cover changes in small catchments in Slovakia during 1990–2006 and their effects on frequency of flood events. Nat Hazards 56:195–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TEEB (2010) In: Kumar P (ed) The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity: ecological and economic foundations. Earthscan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Tockner K, Standford JA (2002) Riverine flooplains: present state and future trends. Environ Conserv 29:308–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Sluis T, Degteva S, Pedroli G (2003) The Pechora River (Russia): reference system for Northwest European Rivers. International conference ‘Towards natural flood reduction strategies’. Warsaw, Poland, pp 6–13

  • Van der Sluis T, Jongman RHG, Bouwma I, Wascher D (2012) Ein Europäischer Biotopverbund – Herausforderungen an den europäischen Kooperations- und Gestaltungswillen. Natur und Landschaft 87:415–419

    Google Scholar 

  • Vihervaara P, Kumpula T, Tanskanen A, Burkhard B (2010) Ecosystem services—a tool for sustainable management of human–environment systems. Case study Finnish Forest Lapland. Ecol Complex 7:410–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welti N, Bondar-Kunze E, Tritthart M, Pinay G, Hein T (2011) Nitrogen dynamics in complex Danube River floodplain systems: effects of restoration. River Syst 20:71–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werners S, Flachner Z, Matczak P, Falaleeva M, Leemans R (2009) Exploring earth system governance: a case study of floodplain management along the Tisza river in Hungary. Global Environ Chang 19:503–511

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the European Commission under FP7 as coordination action KNEU – “Developing a Knowledge Network for EUropean expertise on biodiversity and ecosystem services to inform policy making economic sectors” (Grant No. 265299). RK was partly funded by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (project number APVV-0866-12). We are grateful to Sandrina Rodrigues for her linguistic improvements.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Conservation Biology, Vegetation & Landscape Ecology, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria

    Stefan Schindler, Katrin Euller, Anna Schneidergruber, Franz Essl, Michaela Kropik, Christa Hainz-Renetzeder & Thomas Wrbka

  2. United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1, 53113, Bonn, Germany

    Zita Sebesvari

  3. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Geography and Geoecology, Division WWF-Institute of Floodplain Ecology, Josefstrasse 1, 76437, Rastatt, Germany

    Christian Damm

  4. United Nations University, Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS), 6F International Organizations Center Pacifico-Yokohama, 1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, 220-8502, Japan

    Volker Mauerhofer

  5. Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Alkotmány u. 2-4., 2163, Vácrátót, Hungary

    Marianna Biró

  6. Environment Agency Austria (EAA), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Franz Essl & Klaus Peter Zulka

  7. Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences (ILE SAS), Štefánikova 3, 81499, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Róbert Kanka

  8. Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, Griffioenlaan 2, 3526 LA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Sophie G. Lauwaars

  9. Department of Conservation Biology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany

    Christiane Schulz-Zunkel & Klaus Henle

  10. Alterra, Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Theo van der Sluis

  11. Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University, Gagarin Avenue 72, Dnipropetrovsk, 49010, Ukraine

    Viktor Gasso

  12. Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Konstantinstraße 110, 53179, Bonn, Germany

    Andreas Krug

  13. Department of Ecosystem Research, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 301, 12587, Berlin, Germany

    Martin T. Pusch

  14. Technisches Büro für Ökologie, Kagraner Anger 22/7/2, 1220, Vienna, Austria

    Werner Lazowski

  15. CIBIO-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos/InBio, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485–661, Vairão, Portugal

    Stefan Schindler

Authors
  1. Stefan Schindler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zita Sebesvari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christian Damm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Katrin Euller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Volker Mauerhofer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Anna Schneidergruber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Marianna Biró
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Franz Essl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Róbert Kanka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Sophie G. Lauwaars
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Christiane Schulz-Zunkel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Theo van der Sluis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Michaela Kropik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Viktor Gasso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Andreas Krug
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Martin T. Pusch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  17. Klaus Peter Zulka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  18. Werner Lazowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  19. Christa Hainz-Renetzeder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  20. Klaus Henle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  21. Thomas Wrbka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Schindler.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 108 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schindler, S., Sebesvari, Z., Damm, C. et al. Multifunctionality of floodplain landscapes: relating management options to ecosystem services. Landscape Ecol 29, 229–244 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-014-9989-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-014-9989-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation